Effective and safe mannitol administration in patients undergoing supratentorial tumor surgery: A prospective, randomized and double blind study.

OBJECTIVES: Although osmotic diuresis with mannitol is commonly used to provide brain relaxation, there is no consensus regarding its optimal dose and combination with loop diuretics. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of mannitol and combination of furosemide with different doses of mannitol on brain relaxation and on blood electrolytes, lactate level, urine output, fluid balance and blood osmolarity in patients undergoing supratentorial tumor surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study included 51 patients (ASA I-III) scheduled for elective supratentorial craniotomy. Different doses and combinations of diuretics were administered after the bone flap removal. The Group 1 received mannitol at 0.5gkg-1 and furosemide at 0.5mgkg-1, the Group 2 received mannitol at 1gkg-1 and furosemide at 0.5mgkg-1, and the Group 3 received mannitol at 0.5gkg-1 and placebo. The primary end-point of the present study is to evaluate the effects of mannitol and combination of furosemide with different doses of mannitol on brain relaxation and the secondary end-points are to evaluate their effects on blood electrolytes, lactate level, urine output, fluid balance and blood osmolarity. RESULTS: This study shows that mannitol alone (0.5gkg-1), and the combinations of furosemide (0.5mgkg-1) with different doses of mannitol (0.5gkg-1-1gkg-1) provides adequate brain relaxation. However, administration of furosemide with low or high doses of mannitol may cause reduction in the sodium and chloride levels as well as rise in the lactate level. Moreover it may cause high urine output and negative intra-operative fluid balance. CONCLUSION: Administration of 0.5gkg-1 mannitol provides adequate brain relaxation without causing systemic side effects in patients undergoing supratentorial tumor surgery. This study is registered to clinical trials (Clinical Trials.gov identifier NCT02712476).

Postoperative analgesia for supratentorial craniotomy.

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of moderate to severe pain is high in patients following craniotomy. Although optimal analgesic therapy is mandatory, there is no consensus regarding analgesic regimen for post-craniotomy pain exists. This study aimed to investigate the effects of morphine and non-opioid analgesics on postcraniotomy pain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective, randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study included eighty three patients (ASA 1, II, and III) scheduled for elective supratentorial craniotomy. Intravenous dexketoprofen, paracetamol and metamizol were investigated for their effects on pain intensity, morphine consumption and morphine related side effects during the first 24h following supratentorial craniotomy. Patients were treated with morphine based patient controlled analgesia (PCA) for 24h following surgery and randomized to receive supplemental IV dexketoprofen 50mg, paracetamol 1g, metamizol 1g or placebo. The primary endpoint was pain intensity, secondary endpoint was the effects on morphine consumption and related side effects. RESULTS: When the whole study period was analyzed with repeated measures of ANOVA, the pain intensity, cumulative morphine consumption and related side effects were not different among the groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: This study showed that the use of morphine based PCA prevented moderate to severe postoperative pain without causing any life threatening side effects in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy with a vigilant follow up during postoperative 24h. Although we could not demonstrate statistically significant effect of supplemental analgesics on morphine consumption, it was lower in dexketoprofen and metamizol groups than control group.